Invasions - Magic EP

Local garage band Invasions are set to release their debut EP Magic sometime in mid October, but I've been privileged to hear it ahead of time and I've got to say that it's pretty dang good. I saw them perform at Rancho Relaxo a few months ago, and I was entirely blown away by their authentic 60's rock sound, as well as their clear grasp on how to successfully capture an audience and completely put them under your rock 'n roll spell. Besides the obvious 60's bands that they clearly emulate, they also do a good job at harnessing that 70's punk rock D.I.Y. aesthetic, keeping their sound successfully rough and gritty. The first couple of songs are basically garage rock by number, which is not a bad thing. But by the time they get to track three (Atlantic Boulevard) they clearly prove that they are more than a one trick pony, introducing a little bit of carefully placed harmonica. The next song Day By Day begins with an eerie organ sound, not unlike what you might hear in something by The Doors or The Animals, before settling into an almost ska-like territory. And the EP closer Hopeless Magic is a great end to the album, starting out sounding like a lounge lizard of sorts before morphing into an exhilarating garage rock build up that leaves us wanting more. Invasions are the type of band that I can see releasing a couple of albums of solid straight forward garage rock before stretching themselves into other areas, proving that a garage band doesn't need to stay confined to any particular comfort zone.

Invasions have a Toronto date at the El Mocambo tomorrow on Sept 27th before heading to Pop Montreal to play the Petit Campus with some other amazing bands like The Disraelis and Black Mountain Bay. Full lineup can be found here.

Myspace: Invasions
Download: Out Of Touch mp3


Hearya.com has mp3's and video footage of a live studio session featuring Your 33 Black Angels. They have a new 22 track CD coming out with the ultra-cool title Tales Of My Pop Rock Love Life. Three songs from the upcoming CD are featured at this session.

Myspace: Your 33 Black Angels

Ray Foley's Mark Olson documentary - The Salvation Blues - is screening at the Sound Unseen festival in Minneapolis, which runs from October 23-30th. I had never even heard of this movie but apparently it's only 30 minutes long, and it chronicles the making of his last album, the reasons why he left The Jayhawks as well as some details on the break up of his marriage to Victoria Williams. I don't know how you cram all of that drama into only 30 minutes but I'm definitely intrigued. You can view the trailer here. Ready For The Flood is his upcoming collaboration with Gary Louris and it's due out in January 2009.

Myspace: Mark Olson

Nicole Atkins talks about her love of Metallica as well as her time hanging out with Springsteen over at Von Pip Musical Express.

Myspace: Nicole Atkins

I can't believe how out of the indie rock loop I can be sometimes. I've been reading some great reviews of TV On The Radio's new CD Dear Science, which apparently came out last Tuesday. Would it kill someone to tell me about these things? Love TVOTR. Gotta pick it up immediately!

Myspace: TV On The Radio

Finally, I hope that you're enjoying this new "reviews with other indie rock news" format that I'm trying out. It's a direct rip off of most other music blogs that I read and enjoy and that are significantly better than mine, but I notice that the more bands you cram in, the more hits you get. So I thought, hecks, why not try it? Can't guarantee that my posts will always be this jam packed with info though. It takes an awful long time to post things this way.